Welcome to Tripoli

Tripoli, the White Bride of the Mediterranean

Tripoli, a city of 2,5 million, continues to be one of the most beautiful cities along the Mediterranean Sea. The seaside promenade in the modern part is impressive.

Tripoli has one of the best old cities in the Mediterranean world, where the merchants are almost not aiming at selling souvenirs to foreigners. If it was possible, the Libyans here are even friendlier than Libyans in general, and they are not going for your money. This has to do with Libya’s economy being far better than in the poorer neighbour countries, but not so heaped up that old tradition have lost its true content.

Tripoli's old city is a must for female travellers wanting to get away from the showers of dirty proposals common in neighbouring Tunisia.

Exploring Tripoli Medina

Tripoli Medina is an ancient walled city, dating from Roman times. Its high walls were originally built on the landward side to repel attacks from the interior, and these survived many invasions throughout the centuries. To enter the Medina through the main gateway from Green Square is to glimpse what it was like centuries ago. Since Roman times, the city has been rebuilt frequently; today most of the buildings date from the 16th century. These include mosques, souqs and caravanserais - the traditional stone buildings that house traders who continue to bring goods from the depths of the Sahara. The great thing about the Medina is that it's not so large as to get you lost, and whichever direction you take, you will soon find yourself back in the modern world.

Clock Tower

A minor piece of Ottoman Baroque erected by the city’s first municipality and competed in 1898. (A small café with hubby-bubbly pipes just on your right as you come through the arch might be a place to stop at some point.). Have a peek down the narrow street to the left of the clock tower, where you will find the industrious copper workers, assembling large metal spheres and crescents, final flourish for any self-respecting minaret.

Arch of Marcus Aurelius

A four-square stegosaurus of a building, this solid monument is practically all that survives of the splendors of Roman Oea. An old Tripoli proverb links the survival of the arch to the survival to the city

Former French Consulate

A few meters south of the Aurelian Arch, to the left is the former French Consulate (founded 1630); the building is representative of the fine homes of the 18th- and 19th-cnetury Tripoli. France maintained a significant presence in Tripoli from the 18th century, with certain consuls, notably one Charles Féraud in the 19th c.

Former British Consulate

Another restored building is the former British Consulate, now is referred to as Dar Adb al Khaliq al Nuwayji. The house was originally built in 1744 as a residence for Ahmad al Qaramanli. Later, it came to house the British Consulate, a function which lasted until 1940.

This plaque is on the wall outside the former Consulate which now houses the Medina Museum. Many of the early British expeditions undertaken in the 'race for discovery' of Saharan and West Africa left from here.

Church of Santa Maria Degli Angeli

Here you are at the heart of the medina, close to the site of the original Great Mosque and that of an extensive palace put up by Dragut in the mid- 16th century. The large church comes as something of a surprise in such a Muslim city. Close by (turning left as you face the church), is the former bagnio (prison) put up by Uthman Pasha in 1664 to stock Christian captives awaiting ransom (rooms for 700 prisoners). Though pirate activity was at its height in the 17th century, the income generated was irregular. Therefore there was a need for such a building to house prisoners until the right price could be negotiated for their release.

Banco di Roma

Turn right out of the church, and at the first junction, go right on the main street (Shari’a Arba’ Arsat) running back south. The tall, crumbling building on the corner which would look very much at home in Naples or Palermo was home to the Banco di Roma.

House of Karamali

A pleasant, patrician residence, the Dar Qaramanli has been restored and converted to a museum. The courtyard, surrounded by galleries on two levels displays the wealth and prestige of a branch of the Qaramanli family, rulers of Tripoli in the 8th and early 19th century. For most of the 19th century, the building housed the Tuscan Consulate.

Plasma Hotel**** - Tripoli

This very luxurious hotel is located just steps from Tripoli International Fair and a short walk to the city centre (Martyre Square). The hotel boasts wonderful views of the Tripoli city.

The central location in one of Tripoli's most dynamic business districts gives you access to reach the Tripoli International Fairground, El Fatah tower and Burj Abu Lila within a few minutes walking distance.